RF ADC

[Andre Kesteloot]

On 7/29/2011 16:25 PM, wb4jfi at knology.net wrote:
> Andre, I have to disagree.  Many, many years ago, I designed something 
> important for work around a National Semi IC, using a spec sheet that 
> appeared 100% a legit product.  I kept hearing that it would be 
> available Real Soon Now, but was not available Right Now.  Eventually, 
> I was told that the part would not be made, and that the spec sheet 
> was in fact just a "feeler" to see if there was market interest in 
> that product.  Never mind that the spec sheet did not say 
> "preliminary", "potential product" or any other term to indicate its 
> vaporware nature.  This actually happened more than once, but I had 
> been forewarned.
well, Terry, at least you do not disagree with me on one point, the 
inability of the average ham to tackle the soldering problem  !

My own experience was with more traditional ICs, and in one particular 
application, we needed ICs with matched characteristics.
I was amazed to see that, although the ICs from Company X came 
presumably fall from the same wafer, they differed enough to cause concern.
When we started to test National ICs, they all matched pretty much.
> And, I think Nat Semi is playing fast and loose with the specs on this 
> chip. Never let reality get in the way of a good product 
> announcement.  If something seems too good to be true....

You mean that some of the  "vaporware" managers of the Software industry 
might have migrated to the hardware boys ? Shocking :-)

73
André